Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Being I went back to the Washington Post page and they wanted me to subscribe.. I'm putting the whole post here so you can see the article.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

The Republican National Committee and its chairman, Michael S. Steele, were engulfed in controversy again Monday after new financial reports showed that the party used tens of thousands of donor dollars for luxe hotels, private jets and other questionable expenditures.

The disclosures, some of which stem from Steele's travels to California in January and a subsequent RNC retreat to Hawaii, reignited criticism from fellow Republicans who are troubled by the chairman's financial stewardship of the GOP's main committee since he took over more than a year ago.

Although it is not unusual for either party to spend money in tony settings to cater to wealthy donors, the RNC's latest filings captured widespread attention for one expenditure at a risque nightclub: $1,946.25 for "meals" at Voyeur in West Hollywood, which features topless dancers wearing horse bridles and other bondage gear while mimicking sex acts.

The committee fired an unidentified staff member as a result of the disbursement and emphasized Monday that Steele had not visited the club and was not aware of the expenditure. The reimbursement went to Erik Brown, a Southern California GOP donor who has spent time with Steele in the past and whose marketing firm has earned more than $160,000 from the RNC and other Republican committees, according to campaign disclosure records.

The RNC's expenses, first highlighted by the Daily Caller, set off another round of GOP infighting over Steele, whose combative style and frequent pratfalls have earned him friends and enemies. The chairman angered many party insiders by releasing a book this year without notifying Republican leaders; he stumbled into another controversy this month after the leak of an RNC fundraising document featuring crude caricatures of President Obama and other Democratic leaders.

Steele also has come under fire for his management of the organization's finances. The RNC had more than $22 million on hand when he arrived last year, but is down to less than $10 million, despite raising a record $96 million during that time, records show.

The February report to the Federal Election Commission lists $17,000 for private jet service; more than $35,000 for upscale hotels; and more than $43,000 in expenses, not including airfare, for the committee's winter meeting in Hawaii. Such reports include a range of spending, including Steele's airfare as well as expenses incurred by staff members and outsiders.

"The RNC's role, and thus the chairman's role, is to raise money, fund candidates, recruit candidates and voters into our cause," said John Weaver, a GOP strategist and former adviser to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). "Setting policy, choosing sides and crazy spending does not fall under his job description."

Mark DeMoss, a major RNC donor during George W. Bush's presidency who heads a Christian public-relations firm in Atlanta, said that spending so lavishly during an economic downturn is "mind-boggling." "Virtually the entire country -- from big businesses to small business -- had to make cutbacks," he said. "To think the Republican Party wouldn't do the same thing, I think, suggests either a tone-deafness or just that they don't care, which would maybe be worse."

But others defended Steele and his financial record and pointed to GOP success in recent elections in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia. "You do have to spend money to raise money," said Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado GOP. "I'll give Chairman Steele the benefit of the doubt on spending on major donors."

An RNC investigation of the incident found that the Voyeur party was attended by a group of young Republicans who had been at an official party "Young Eagles" event at the Beverly Hills Hotel the same night, according to an internal memo obtained by The Washington Post. The Young Eagles is an RNC program to cultivate 30-to-40-year-olds as major future donors.

The request for reimbursement was then submitted on behalf of Brown by an unidentified RNC staffer who "was aware that this activity was not eligible for reimbursement and had been previously counseled on this very subject," according to the memo, which was written by the committee chief of staff, Ken McKay. The staffer was fired because of the incident, the memo said.

RNC spokesman Doug Heye said Monday night that "appropriate personnel actions have been taken, and accounting and reimbursement processes are being revised to ensure that such an action cannot reoccur." He also said Brown would return the payment. "We recognize the difficulty this incident has caused and assure our members and supporters that any necessary and proper remediation is being implemented immediately," Heye said.

The Democratic National Committee said that its chairman, Timothy M. Kaine, usually travels on commercial flights and does not generally use limousine or town-car services.

But Heye noted that paying for high-end hotels and other accoutrements is standard practice for both political parties when wooing wealthy donors. He said most of the expenses for the private jets and car services for Steele detailed in the February reports were related to the start of television advertisements in the South and Midwest.

Brown, the chief executive of Dynamic Marketing, which has offices in California and the District, did not respond Monday to telephone and e-mail messages. He has contributed $10,000 to GOP candidates and committees since 2007, and wrote on Twitter last Oct. 26 about attending a Monday-night football game at FedEx Field with Steele.

Voyeur attracted celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Leonardo DiCaprio to its fall opening. Club managers did not respond to telephone messages left Monday.

The Republican National Committee and its chairman, Michael S. Steele, were engulfed in controversy again Monday after new financial reports showed that the party used tens of thousands of donor dollars for luxe hotels, private jets and other questionable expenditures.

Although it is not unusual for either party to spend money in tony settings to cater to wealthy donors, the RNC's latest filings captured widespread attention for one expenditure at a risque nightclub: $1,946.25 for "meals" at Voyeur in West Hollywood, which features topless dancers wearing horse bridles and other bondage gear while mimicking sex acts.

RNC spokesman Doug Heye said Monday night that "appropriate personnel actions have been taken, and accounting and reimbursement processes are being revised to ensure that such an action cannot reoccur."

Steele also has come under fire for his management of the organization's finances. The RNC had more than $22 million on hand when he arrived last year, but is down to less than $10 million, despite raising a record $96 million during that time, records show.

The February report to the Federal Election Commission lists $17,000 for private jet service; more than $35,000 for upscale hotels; and more than $43,000 in expenses, not including airfare, for the committee's winter meeting in Hawaii.

WHAT!?! The above information is from the Washington Post. I don't think they get it. THIS is the crap that goes on in Washington that HAS to stop. This is ridiculous. If you are going to send money to the RNC...I'd say.. support your local politician, not the RNC. They don't get it. They are still thinking no one cares about what they do, or spend. They don't get that people are fed up with 'business as usual'. Next time the RNC calls to get a donation, them know WHY you are not donating to them. Tell them pointedly exactly what you think. Then go support your local guy.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Spring flowers are here in south Texas, and I went out and took pictures yesterday on the way home from an appointment. I had to turn around several times in the car to get on the other side of the road, wait for cars to go by, and 3 little dogs that chased me. I was going to stop by the cow pasture that had the longhorns in it, but I was late for church last night, didn't have time to stop and take their picture. here are the spring pictures I've taken so far.

I was browsing around the net today, and found out on a Townhall.com blog, that this health care bill that passed, the Baucus bill, has lots of taxes on "medical devices". Some interesting Class II medical devices, that you really wouldn't think that need an extra tax.

1. Look up the section of the Baucus bill outline that places a tax on medical devices, which the bill refers to as “fees”. You can find it on page 215. Click here to find a copy of the Baucus outline.

2. This section of the bill entitled “Annual Fee on Manufacturers and Importers of Medical Devices” has the following language on what is covered under the taxes on medical devices: “covered domestic sales would include U.S. sales of medical devices regulated by the Food and Drug Administration [FDA] as a medical device [FOOTNOTE 103] and subject to premarketing and post marketing regulatory controls. The term would not include sales attributable to Class I products (as classified under the FDA product classification system)”

3. So now you have to look through the FDA web site section on medical devices, which you can do here. Then, you can conduct your own search and find out what Class of device a given medical device falls under by going to this search page. If you search “Tampon”, you will see that the FDA characterizes it as a Class II medical device and is therefore covered by the Obama tampon tax. You can also look up the following medical device terms and find out the same thing: like contact lenses and solutions, hearing aides, thermometers, oxygen bottles, wheelchairs, condoms and tampons.Source

Is this ridiculous or what? They're taxing everything possible it seems...down to the Nth degree to pay for this lousy bill that was signed into law. "No one making under $250,000 will have their taxes raised" bull! Here is pResident Obummer making this pledge:

He's a typical politician. They will say anything to get elected. This reminds me of what we are getting nowadays. Look at the takeovers of private industry. The student loan business is all going to be run by the government now, instead of private companies. THAT gem was stuck in with the sneaky way they rammed through the health care bill. They took over banks, car companies, student loans, health insurance, what is next? Guess what! It's the INTERNET!

The Detroit News has an editorial about how we don't NEED the FCC to ram through high-speed for every area in the US, while spending loads of money doing so. Private companies are taking care of this on their own - why should the government do this? And yet there are those gullible fools who believe those ten little words "I'm here from the government, and I'm here to help." BAH.

What would our forefathers think of today's nanny state, and growing more and more dependent upon a socialistic government? Back when Social Security started out:

The first monthly payment was issued on January 31, 1940 to Ida May Fuller of Ludlow, Vermont. In 1937, 1938 and 1939 she paid a total of $24.75 into the Social Security System. Her first check was for $22.54. After her second check, Fuller already had received more than she contributed over the three-year period. She lived to be 100 and collected a total of $22,888.92.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Earth hour is coming up Saturday at 8:30 Texas time.. Turn off your lights for an hour to "help raise awareness for global warming". BARF! Global warming is a hoax, and you turn off your lights for an hour, you're inviting criminals. Turn ON your all your lights at your local "earth hour" time! Get floodlights especially for this.. Rent those big spotlights and turn em on. Put out all your Christmas lights, and flip them on. This is one big hour of global stupid.

I was listening to Walton & Johnson this morning on KKRW streaming (they're on till 9 central time) and found out about that silliness. Also a few other things, like Collector's Firearms in Houston... Collectors Firearms Inc. has one of the country's largest collections of militaria, uniforms, weapons, and memorabilia of all types. Including over 2,000 books. I think I need to visit there and check it out.

On the eating side, HERE is a great article by Stephen Byrnes, PhD, RNCP, about the myths of vegetarianism. I had always heard how red meat was bad, butter was bad, all the stuff we grew up eating was bad for us. Turns out margarine, and other fake foods is the worst stuff for us to eat. Better to eat a bit of butter than slather on the margarine. Also a book I found at the grocery store while waiting for the kidlet to finish her training for her job, I found this book, In Defense of Food. Quite an interesting book, talks about how the rate of cancer and other diseases have risen sharply during the last century, and how basically fake foods created this mess. He talks about the rise of nutritionism, basically instead of eating your foods to get vitamins and nutrients, you take pills instead. I enjoyed the book quite a bit.

Back to the idiot fools running the government. Found this gem:

For February 2010, the U.S. government last week reported tax receipts of $107.5 billion and expenditures of $328.4 billion. The federal budget deficit is now so large that even if Americans were taxed at 100 percent of their income that would not be enough to balance the budget.

Lovely. And still, I have not found anyone who can answer the question "What entitles you to someone else's money?"

This cannot and should not go on. Here are the symptoms of spending/shopping addiction:

• Spending over budget• Compulsive Buying• It’s a chronic problem• Hiding the problem• A viscous circle• Impaired relationships• Clear Consequences• Shopping or spending money as a result of feeling angry, depressed, anxious, or lonely• Having arguments with others about one’s shopping habits• Feeling lost without credit cards — actually going into withdrawal without them• Buying items on credit, rather than with cash• Describing a rush or a feeling of euphoria with spending• Feeling guilty, ashamed, or embarrassed after a spending spree• Lying about how much money was spent. For instance, owning up to buying something, but lying about how much it actually cost• Thinking obsessively about money• Spending a lot of time juggling accounts or bills to accommodate spending

I'd say more than a few fit the government. It has to be stopped.

As there are not enough taxes that can be extracted from the private sector, the U.S. government will be forced to the other two methods of obtaining assets from others: borrowing and inflation. In February 2010, the federal government paid $16.9 billion in interest on the federal debt, which averages out to an interest rate just over 2.5 percent.

They sure like to tax. The tax on indoor tanning starts today, a tax of 10%. And they said they would not raise taxes on anyone making less than 250,000$. The nail place I go to has tanning, and it's a small place, I don't think the owner makes over $250k.

Is hyperinflation coming?

Medicare was created in 1966 at a cost of $3 billion per year and the House Ways and Means Committee estimated in 1966 that in 1990 the cost of Medicare would reach $12 billion per year. Instead, the actual cost of Medicare in 1990 was $107 billion (792% more than what was projected) and today Medicare costs $408 billion annually. In 2003, the White House Office of Management and Budget estimated that the Iraq War would have a total cost of $50 to $60 billion. So far, we have already spent $713 billion on the Iraq War (over 1,000% more than what was projected).

The Congressional Budget Office is estimating that the healthcare bill will cost $940 billion over the next 10 years, but if history is any indication, the actual cost will likely be several trillion dollars. NIA believes the healthcare bill will be the final nail in the coffin of the U.S. economy.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Heh. Nancy Pelosi's has a favorable rating is at an amazingly high rate of 11%. Harry Reid is right up there with a lovely rate of 8%. Unfortunately, both of them have a large portion of "haven't heard enough". What planet do these people live on, that they haven't heard enough about either of these two political whores?

On this bill just signed by pResident Obummer - since when is a service provided by one person a right for another person? Here is an example:

If the chain of natural rights is interrupted, and the right to a loaf of bread, for example, is proclaimed as primary (avoiding the necessity of earning it), every man owns a loaf of bread, regardless of who produced it. Since ownership is the power of disposal, every man may take his loaf from the baker and dispose of it as he wishes with or without the baker's permission. Another element has thus been introduced into the relation between men: the use of force. It is crucial to observe who has initiated the use of force: it is the man who demands unearned bread as a right, not the man who produced it. At the level of an unstructured society it is clear who is moral and who immoral. The man who acted rationally by producing food to support his own life is moral. The man who expropriated the bread by force is immoral.

When a government ignores the progression of natural rights arising from the right to life, and agrees with a man, a group of men, or even a majority of its citizens, that every man has a right to a loaf of bread, it must protect that right by the passage of laws ensuring that everyone gets his loaf - in the process depriving the baker of the freedom to dispose of his own product.

In a just society with a moral government, it is clear that the only "right" to the bread belongs to the baker, and that a claim by any other man to that right is unjustified and can be enforced only by violence or the threat of violence.

In the narrative above substitute "doctor" for "baker" and "medical service" for "bread."

This is what is happening with the 'right' to health care. It is NOT a right, it is a service.

For the full description of rights and medical care, go HERE. It's a good description of what is going on.

Friday, March 19, 2010

A Ponzi scheme is an investment fraud that involves the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors. Ponzi scheme organizers often solicit new investors by promising to invest funds in opportunities claimed to generate high returns with little or no risk. In many Ponzi schemes, the fraudsters focus on attracting new money to make promised payments to earlier-stage investors and to use for personal expenses, instead of engaging in any legitimate investment activity.

Except with Social Security, they spend the money generated on other expenses. No legitimate opportunity. If ANYONE but the government ran Social Security, they would be spending time behind bars.

Why is this held up as some great bastion of hope ?

As for welfare and social programs: It is not government's job to force me to have compassion.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Tuesday the mail lady came by the house and honked her horn. I was wondering "what the heck is in the mail" as I had not ordered anything lately. To my surprise, THIS was in the mail! Texas Ghostrider makes birdhouses and birdfeeders, and he had sent one. I would upload the picture to here, but my internet hates me today, and I am lucky just to even load a page. Now to try to find a good spot to hang it. I thought I had found a good spot, but it turns out it is right over the stepping stones, people would hit their heads on it! I guess I will put it on the oak tree in the front yard.

We had the preachers fellowship this past half of a week, and this preacher, Larry Jones, spoke about the G 20 meeting in London, and what came out of it. People talk about the UN being world governance.. the G 20 is worse than the UN (which also attended G 20).

In the new Financial Stability Board, which will now incorporate all G20 members, there is the potential for a powerful new global financial regulator. What will the regulator oversee? All "systemically important" financial institutions, instruments and markets. This will include, for the first time, the most important hedge funds. These will have to register and report their strategy, debt and risk levels. Hedge funds manage about $1tn (£67bn) of assets. What is an "instrument"? MONEY. This page tells more about what this board will do. Tis skeery!

The IMF has their own money - the SDR or special drawing right, which is a basket of currencies including the US dollar, the yen and the euro. The US and European running the IMF will be abandoned, and in return, China will be asked to lend some of its reserves to the IMF - and will continue to push for the idea that the SDR will become a real reserve currency, ultimately replacing the dollar. It has also been suggested that having holders of US dollars convert those dollars into SDRs would allow diversification away from the dollar without accelerating the decline of the value of the dollar.

Great. The dollar just poofs away, to be replaced by a global currency.

Here is a summary of the key points they came out with:

FINANCIAL

A new Financial Stability Board, with a strengthened mandate, will replace the Financial Stability Forum

Financial regulation and oversight will be extended to all financial institutions, instruments and markets

This includes bringing hedge funds within the global regulatory net for the first time

Members are committed to implementing tough new rules on pay and bonuses at a global level

International accounting standards will be set

Credit rating agencies will be regulated in order to remove their conflicts of interest

A common approach to cleaning up banks' toxic assets has been agreed

TAX HAVENS (i.e. Switzerland, Cayman Islands, etc.)

There will be sanctions against tax havens that do not transfer information on request

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has published a list of countries assessed by the Global Forum against the international standard for exchange of tax information

IMF (International Monetary Fund)

Resources available to the International Monetary Fund will be trebled to $750bn

This includes a new overdraft facility, or special drawing rights allocation, of $250bn

Additional resources of $6bn from agreed IMF gold sales will be made available for lending to the poorest countries

The G20 also supports increased lending to the world's poorest countries of at least $100bn by the multilateral development banks

GLOBAL TRADE

There will be a commitment of $250bn of support for trade finance made over the next two years

This will be made available through export credit and investment agencies, as well as through multilateral development banks

National regulators will be asked to make use of available flexibility in capital requirements for trade finance

PROTECTIONISM

The G20 has pledged to resist protectionism

There will be a commitment to naming and shaming countries that breach free trade rules

The G20 will notify the World Trade Organization (WTO) of any measures that constrain worldwide capital flows

The G20 has called on the WTO to monitor and report publicly on these undertakings on a quarterly basis

FISCAL STIMULUS

Although there is no new fiscal stimulus, Gordon Brown said G20 countries are already implementing "the biggest macroeconomic stimulus the world has ever seen" - an injection of $5tn by the end of next year

John Chipman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, proposed that the G-20 be given more powers of enforcement in the realm of international security as well as financial regulation

By removing language from President Reagan’s 1983 Executive Order 12425, this international law enforcement body now operates - now operates - on American soil beyond the reach of our own top law enforcement arm, the FBI, and is immune from Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Check out the above link, read it all.

Monday, March 15, 2010

"Should the immigrants adopt the values of their adoptive land -- or, to the contrary, should society change to accommodate the newcomers who now form part of it?" A question posed by Michael Weissenstein, for the AP, March 14th.

He's talking about Europe in this article, but this question should be asked by every country that has immigrants.

When people immigrated to this country years ago, they would first gather in groups in different cities - but they would learn English, and acclimate. They would not require others that were here to learn their language, live by their culture and norms, and demand that they would be accommodated.

Not so today. Signs are in Spanish and English, and other languages in various areas. Legislation to make English the official language of the US, fails.

We should be encouraging people who come to this country to learn English, and be fluent in it. Our grandparents/great grandparents did.

Here in south Texas, you almost HAVE to be able to speak Spanish, as there are many who can't or just plain don't use English. There exists a subculture in this country, and as long as they remain with their own language, there will be one.

I was browsing the Aggie Horticulture website, from Texas A&M...and came across this article by George Washington Carver - the guy who found over 300 uses for the peanut - This article is all about growing tomatoes, and 115 ways of preparing tomatoes. I usually don't care for tomatoes (I don't like the guts inside) but the Tomatoes and Macaroni #1 sounds really tasty. I could see myself eating it. Same with the Tomatoes Smothered with Beef Steak. I think it would be good using chicken breasts in place of the steak, being white meat is usually dry.. would juice it up good. Anyway, here's the link, and enjoy!

The census form did. We didn't get the long form this time - last time the census rolled around, we got that.. I remember filling it out, asking myself "what the heck? why are they asking me all this?"

This time, I wish I had gotten the long form, so I could write across the reset of it "nunya business".

Hmm.. I have a red sharpie. I'll scribble "confidential" across the rest of it. They even ask your telephone number on the short form.

According to usconstitution.net they have this:

The final bill, Statute 2 of March 1, 1790, provided that census marshals and assistants be appointed. The marshals were directed to:

cause the number of the inhabitants within their respective districts to be taken; omitting in such enumeration Indians not taxed, and distinguishing free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, from all others; distinguishing also the sexes and colours of free persons, and the free males of sixteen years and upwards from those under that age.

This is the law concerning not filling out the form fully, or filling it out with false answers.

Darn. I was going to count Nibbler and Princess Anna Marie Buttercup as members of the family. Maybe Mr. Fatty too. (aka Daniel)

I went according to the 1790 census rules, and did number of persons, sex, and race.

Michelle Bachman (R-MN) has said she will not fill out all the questions on the census. She's taking alot of flack for this, but the questions they ask are really "nunya"

They share data also - US Code Title 13, 402.

The Bureau of the Census may provide business data to the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (“Designated Statistical Agencies”) if such information is required for an authorized statistical purpose and the provision is the subject of a written agreement with that Designated Statistical Agency, or their successors, as defined in the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002.

You have to read this: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/13/usc_sec_13_00000401----000-.html

Why are they sharing with Dept of Commerce? All that the Constitution requires is an ENUMERATION. Meaning a COUNTING of persons. Not asking you your telephone number, or if you own (do you have a mortgage too is a question) or if you rent.

On another note, I got two new hibiscus. A double deep maroon, and a large splashy orange one. Plus 4 new rosebushes, and a chinese lantern plant. Pictures to follow when my internet is acting a bit better than it has been these 4 days. Plus this neat picture I just took this afternoon while I was getting ready to fix bean soup.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Social justice – it’s here. Brought to you by the progressives. What is social justice?

Social justice is the movement towards a socially just world. In this context, social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality and involves a greater degree of economic egalitarianism through progressive taxation, income redistribution, or even property redistribution, policies aimed toward achieving that which developmental economists refer to as more equality of opportunity and equality of outcome than may currently exist in some societies or are available to some classes in a given society. (ty wikipedia).

Equality of outcome. Lovely. The world is not equal for everyone, and people do not all have the same abilities, an equal outcome is something that is a forced construct. The welfare state is a great example of income redistribution. It is taking from some and giving to some others.

Father Coughlin (lefty) was a big proponent of social justice. Part of his speech, from November 11, 1934 is as follows:

“Today the American people are the judge and jury who will support this Administration and accord it a sportman's chance to make good. It has already subscribed to the principle that human rights must take precedence over financial rights. It recognizes that these rights far outweigh in the scales of justice either political rights or so-called constitutional rights. It appears to be an Administration determined to read into the Constitution the definition of social justice which is already expressed within its very preamble.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president during this time, and his New Deal was progressive through and through.

Another bit of Father Coughlin’s speech “This has to do with a just and living annual wage for all citizens who care to earn their own livelihood.”

Who CARE to earn their own livelihood? He was predicting the welfare state as we know it, people who do NOT care to earn their own livelihood.

"If there is plenty for all in this country--plenty of fields of wheat and of cotton, plenty of factories, mechanics and scientists--the only reason why this plenitude of God's blessing is not shared by all is because our Government has not, as yet, faced the problem of distribution."

Another of Father Coughlin’s speeches, January 6th 1935:

"January fourth, 1935, brings to an end the economic principles of individualism hitherto taught, practically in every American university.It is the date which marks the termination of certain of those principles taught by Adam Smith, by John Stuart Mill and Malthus. Such outworn and impractical economic phrases as "free competition, and "rugged individualism" and "laissez-faire" today are seeking a resting place in the limbo of archaic falsehoods."

FDR was president still. His speech contained these gems:

"Throughout the world, change is the order of the day. In every nation economic problems, long in the making, have brought crises of many kinds for which the masters of old practice and theory were unprepared. In most nations social justice, no longer a distant ideal', has become a definite goal, and ancient governments are beginning to heed the call."

"We find our population suffering from old inequalities, little changed by past sporadic remedies. In spite of our efforts and in spite of our talk, we have not weeded out the over-privileged and we have not effectively lifted up the underprivileged. Both of these manifestations of injustice leave retarded happiness."

Social justice is something that progressives love. Prohibition was brought about by Progressives, and all these laws that protect us from everything are brought about by Progressives. Progressives are not limited to Democrats, many of the Republicans today are Progressives. In the Democrat party, there are the blue dog Democrats, and the Progressive Democrats. Hilary Clinton proudly proclaimed herself a Progressive. There are Social Democrats, that are just plain Socialists. They started working in the Democratic party in the 1960s, and have just gotten stronger.

Starting in the early 1900s, the Progressive movement really took off. There were Progressive presidents, starting with Theodore Roosevelt, and continued on through Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and LBJ.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

From Michelle Malkin: “If you put enough government cheese in front of people, they are just going to keep eating it.” This covers pretty much every government program that is "helping" people.

Its an outrage that they are going to extend unemployment to 99 weeks. WHAT? Why bother even to try to find a job, even if it is something "below" you, if you get paid to not work? They're taking from those that ARE working, and giving to those who are NOT working. This is more of the government plantation mentality. "I'm entitled to X" is the STUPID thinking of people nowadays. Our parents, grandparents, who lived through the Depression, did not have this mentality. Hard work, and personal sacrifice is what works. Not sitting on your BUTT while someone else pays for you to sit there.

What has happened to the work ethic of the United States? It's gone downhill on roller skates, over a large cliff, a big nosedive. People feel entitled to stuff, I think because their parents worked their butts off to GIVE their kids what they didn't have...and to have those kids grow up to be thankless creatures. Given everything, without any effort on their part, is the ruination of this country.

Its been proven time and time again, if a person is just given something, they are not going to take care of it, or bother about it, as someone who has worked for it. In this situation, I believe the previous boomer generation has failed this generation now. Too many are taking it easy, just sucking off the governmen tit instead of getting off their duffs and working an extra job. Oh no, can't have that! That would take too much effort. Or finding a job, when you can get paid for doing nothing.

Nancy Pelosi is a certifiable idiot. Check out this quote:

“But we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy. Furthermore, we believe that health care reform, again I said at the beginning of my remarks, that we sent the three pillars that the President’s economic stabilization and job creation initiatives were education and innovation—innovation begins in the classroom—clean energy and climate, addressing the climate issues in an innovative way to keep us number one and competitive in the world with the new technology, and the third, first among equals I may say, is health care, health insurance reform."

We can't find out what's in it till it's passed? Do they even bother to try to read bills before they pass them now? Rangel has already admitted that he doesnt' bother, because it's too complicated. He just lets his staffers read the bill, and then give him a clue.

I was watching TV one day, and (I forgot what show) had 3 stacks of paper - one was the Senate healthcare bill, one was the House bill, and the small stack of the Constitution. It was amazing to see. I think (if I remember right) the Constitution was all of 28 pages.

Monday, March 8, 2010

The government, I mean. Coming to YOUR house. Knocking on YOUR door, putting its business where it has no business even being. Home visitation on the Senate bill that Reid is trying to pass through. Pages 568 to 595 cover this..

Families where Mom is not yet 21.

Families where someone is a tobacco user.

Families where children have low student achievement, developmental delays, or disabilities.

Families with individuals who are serving or formerly served in the armed forces, including such families that have members of the armed forces who have had multiple deployments outside the United States.

Once they get their nose in your door, watch out. Here is the PDF of the bill as passed. This government is becoming more and more repressive in its stance over the citizens of this country. That Democrat ..Massa I think his name is? I was listening to the radio, Rahm Emanuel came to his office and told him off in lots of colorful language. Rahm was told to go do a physically impossible thing to himself. Washington is turning into Chicago II. The dirty politics from Chicago are now up in DC. Not that it was nice before, however, it's taken a nosedive. Next thing you know Jumpy Tony De Luca, Vito Sleepswithfishes and Cold-Ass Guido Santoro will be showing up behind Obama, with their hands tucked inside their jackets, instead of Pelosi, Reid and Biden standing there

Being I didn't put my glasses on, I read the clock wrong...I thought it said 6:05. It was 5:05 am. :| Oh well. No time like the present to tell you guys about this EXCELLENT book I read over the weekend. Once I got started it was really hard to put down. I sat here at the computer, intending to surf around..and never quite got to it. I sat here reading instead. The book? Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia. It's available at Amazon HERE. If you want the original paperback, its much more expensive.. running around $150.. Cover art doesnt bother me... I just go for the inside of the book. The story will rock your socks off. You can read a bit at Larry Correia's blog. Here is a sample of MHI. I loved it! The Monster Hunter Vendetta is coming out September 28th, you can pre-order now at Amazon. I think I'm going to. And he's already started writing the 3rd one! Monster Hunter Alpha.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

The tank was my Buick Roadmaster - with rear-facing tailgunner seat. At least, the seat the kids liked the best, to wave and make faces at the people in the vehicles behind us.

It was if I remember right, a 94 or 96 Buick Roadmaster, white, with wood siding. Yeah, wood print siding. Really hawt! Had a V8 in it. If the tank had been lighter, it would have taken off like a scared jackrabbit. The speedometer only went up to 120, but I think it did over that.

Why do I think it went over? One night coming out of town, a semi truck did not the fact that I was doing the speed limit...and was tailgating me. Like RIGHT about a yard from my back end. So what do I do, bright person that I am? BRAKES. heh. And then take off. He didn't like this, and started to get right on my tail again, only closer this time. So I started going faster. And he started going faster also. Pretty soon I've pegged the speedometer, and I had to pull down our road. He couldn't slow down as fast as I could to turn, so we managed to get away from him. I still pegged it going down the smaller road, cut off the lights at the turn to our dinky road that leads to our house, and got in our driveway quick. I watch out for tailgaters now, and now I don't hit the brakes! Well when driving the stick shift truck, I will downshift and go even slower. :P Brake lights don't come on when you downshift, but you slow down.

The tank took lots of kids around town, and up to church camp and back.

One night we were coming back from a shopping trip to the mall in Sugarland TX, it died just before the pulloff for the town by us that contains the local junior college. Nothing would work. No battery, no nothing. So we sat along the road for a bit, and someone stopped to offer us a push to where we could get a pay phone. Little white car, he pushed us down the slight incline to the gas station that was right on the corner. We were doing about 25, and we pulled into the parking lot.

Guess what? Power brakes don't work when power is not on.

I was pushing the brakes frantically, when BOOM! we plowed into the side of the building. Right behind the cash register, where cinderblocks, cigarettes, and magazines fell onto the hood of my car. I don't think that wall was very well constructed, anyhow. The guy that pushed us, wanted to leave before the police arrived.. so off he goes. The police arrive, check out the damage to the building, laugh a bit, and call it in. We had DPS and the local police there also. The owner arrived, and boy, was he mad! I guess we should have hit his van that was parked in front of the building, instead of the side of the building. The building had a huge hole in it, cigarette packages occasionally falling down, the police (after the owner leaves) start laughing together, and one said "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to give you a ticket for 'failure to control speed'. Got my ticket, and with 2 cars, took us for a ride to the motel a bit further along the freeway. This was about midnight. I enjoyed the ride in the DPS cruiser, as he had lots of gadgets in there, screen for radar I guess, and radio, a few other things I had no clue what they were.

We stayed overnight at the hotel, and arranged for the tank to be taken to a repair shop. Turns out the grill was broken (plastic), some scratches and a few dents where cinderblocks had fallen on it, and the right light was taken out. About 3,000 worth of damage if we wanted it returned to pristine state. We ended up getting the light replaced and left the rest as it was.

The sturgmobile (as it was known at church) was around for good while after this. The engine went belly up, and we found a local place to re-machine the engine, instead of buying a new one. Was a bit cheaper. About a week after the engine was repaired, we were at the local park for the Easter Egg Hunt, and I put it into reverse to get out of where I was parked, and found out, it didn't go forward. I put it back into reverse, and it didn't go anywhere. So we called the local shop again, the tranny was out this time. Rocky said usually after an engine goes, the transmission goes also for some reason. Another good chunk of money later, we have it running again.

We used that station wagon for camping up at the Renaissance Festival, it would carry quite a bit of stuff in it. In 2007 we finally got rid of it. Ended up getting only $100 as a trade-in on it, but by this time, it was looking rather.. shabby. The air conditioning was dead, and the electric locks would randomly lock themselves and unlock themselves. The tailgate did not unlock, and would not open.

All in all, we got good use out of that station wagon, put it through hard use, and it stood up to what we dished out to it.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

What on earth gives someone the right to someone else's money? NOTHING! There is Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.. and those are all programs taking from those working now to pay for someone else. It should be the families who are responsible for their own families. Got elderly parents? SUPPORT THEM. They supported your butt when you were young.. now it's your turn to do for them. Put them on your insurance. Don't have insurance? Buy some and put them on it. What is so hard about providing for your own family? I don't get it.. what happened before 1965?

Toyotas have minds of their own, apparently. But not to worry. The U.S. government will smite the robotic menace -- and the company's profits along with it.

As one Lexus-driving victim stated at a recent congressional committee hearing, "Shame on you, Toyota, for being so greedy."

Receive news alertsSign UpDavid Harsanyi Toyota

Indeed. Greed has reared its ugly head again. Shame on Toyota for consistently selling cars we want to buy. Shame on Toyota for employing thousands of Americans and building those unseemly factories. Shame on the company for perfecting the mass production of environmentally friendly hybrid vehicles.

Toyota has such an insatiable appetite for profit it knowingly allows consumers to perish in Lexus deathtraps. One wonders why Toyota would risk its sterling reputation. Then again, it matters little now that D.C. has started dismantling it.

A secret administration memo has surfaced revealing plans for the federal government to seize more than 10 million acres from Montana to New Mexico. Just great. All it takes is a stroke of Obama's pen, making a presidential proclamation to nab this land for the feds.

Rep. Robert Bishop, Utah Republican, made the memo public because he didn't want another unilateral land grab by the White House, like what happened under former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.

Carter took more than 50 million acres in Alaska with a stroke of his pen - do we really want to take away more energy-producing land away from the states, and hand it over to the fed?

On another note, it's not just Toyota who has problems with the accelerator sticking! Ford, GM, all have that problem also. But they aren't going after those companies like they are with Toyota.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

I've been OCDing on this blog Not Always Right, have been reading since yesterday..and am amazed at the idiots that are out there as customers. But then I've not worked retail in quite a while, and I don't remember any odd ones coming in at the auto parts store, or at the sub shop where I worked. When I worked as a waitress, I had someone leave their tip in the bottom of a glass of water. THAT was not fun :|

I found a few REALLY good ones on those pages, and this one is one of those good ones:

Tech Support | Melbourne, Australia

Me: *on the phone* “Hello, how can I help you?”

Customer: “My cable won’t stop changing channels.”

(I walk the customer through a basic re-set.)

Me: “Has that resolved the issue?”

Customer: “No, it’s still changing channels.”

Me: “OK, you’re just watching it and it’s just randomly changing channels by itself?”

Customer: “Yes, when I press the channel up and down buttons on the remote, it keeps changing channels.”

Me: “…that’s the purpose of the channel buttons.”

Customer: “Well, how do I get it to stop changing channels?”

Me: “Stop pressing the channel buttons.”

Customer: *getting irritated* “But I want to press the channel buttons, but it won’t stop changing.”

Me: “If you don’t want it to change, stop pressing the buttons.”

Customer: “Oh…but how do I get it to stop?”

Me: “Put your remote down and don’t touch it.”

Customer: “That’s ridiculous, why would you have that button if it’s just going to change the channels?!”